The Sixpenny Murder comic: an interview with John A. Short

The Sixpenny Murder is a new British comic written by John A. Short and drawn by David Hitchcock. Originally part of a project named Changing Places+ devised by a psychologist, it's now available from John's own comics company, Kult Kreations and in comic stores nationwide.

David Robertson speaks with John A.Short about the comic and what’s coming up for Kult Kreations...

David Robertson: How did the Sixpenny Murder comic come about?

John A. Short: Just as Emily (and Laurence) describe in their section of the editorial. Emily, who's a psychologist,  had been using a sequence out of Mark Millar's 'Ultimates' when she was working with families involved in domestic abuse and when she came to start a programme for those involved in street crime she looked for something similar. Finding nothing ready made (like the 'Ultimates' scene) she decided to commission a piece to do a similar job.

She had read the story about 'The Tithebarn Street Outrage' [which concerns a couple, Richard and Alice Morgan who were suddenly attacked by street thugs on the 1874 August Bank Holiday] in the book The Gangs of Liverpool and came to me to turn it into a comic version. She asked my advice as to who should draw it and I brought David Hitchcock to her attention (after all there is no one better at drawing Victoriana!)

Emily worked very closely with me on the writing side of things, as she has worked with young offenders while she was with the probation system (both here and in the States) and knows their minds inside out.

David: To what extent have you all been involved with comics before now?

John: I have been working professionally in comics since 2003. I created the strips Rex! and Robin Hoodie for Egmont's TOXIC Magazine, as well as having scripted the Hunt Emerson created on-line comic strip Ardnox High for education websites. I have also had strips printed in America, France, Holland, Spain, Italy and Poland. Before turning professional I produced a number of self-published comics for the direct comics market both here and in the States, such as Armageddon Patrol, Loxley and the award-winning 'Octobriana' mini-series under the Revolution Comics banner.

David Hitchcock has drawn (and often written) a number of critically acclaimed small press titles such as Whitechapel Freak, Springheeled Jack and more recently the [award-winning] Madam Samurai.

Emily and Laurence Alison are psychologists not known for their comic work!

David: What is “Changing Places +”?

John: Now you're really getting in to areas that it's better to ask Emily Alison about, but Changing Places+ is a 16-week programme paid for by local authorities and run by Emily Alison which works with young people from inner cities who are in danger of becoming involved in knife crime, street crime and gang culture. The Sixpenny Murder is read and talked about during the course of the programme, but is only a small part of the overall thing (but, I'm told, a very popular part!)

David: Was it always part of the plan for it to be on sale through Diamond Previews as well as being part of this social program? It exists nicely as a comic in its own right as well as being an “information booklet” for kids.

John: It wasn't part of the original plan to be available to comic shops. After David completed the eight-page strip art it became clear to me that comics fans would want to see the strip too and we started to talk about making it into a little comic too. Professor Laurence Alison also liked this idea and sprung for the extra money to fund David doing a cover too.

A page from Sixpenny Murder

At first I wasn't sure that we'd be able to get it into Previews as I'd heard from friends of mine who still publish a lot of small press comics that it has got a lot harder in the past eight years or so since I published anything myself... And indeed, Diamond didn't want to list it for American shops (but then it is very British looking.)

David: Have you had any word on how sales are going in the UK?

John: Almost all of the first printing has sold out... Nearly 300 copies.

David: That’s quite heartening actually. There is a market for self-published British comics, even it’s a small one. What kind of research did you do for writing the book?

John: Almost all the research was done from the book 'The Gangs of Liverpool' where Emily found the story of 'The Tithebarn Street Outrage'. I think chapters one through six in the book cover the case. Apart from that all the research was done on-line for things like the geography of where the crime took place and the wider impact around it.

David: What other projects are coming up for Kult Kreations?

A recent Ardnox High strip
written by John, drawn by
Alex Paterson. More strips here

John: I set up Kult Creations to publish stuff of mine for the 'comics fan' market last year. I realised that since I had gone fully professional I had lost touch with the audience that used to read my work back in my small press/self-publishing days (1995-2004) and I had become invisible. I thought things like The Sixpenny Murder and Cross (a strip that appeared in the Mammoth Book of Best New Manga Vol 2) would be of interest to editors and fans in the direct comics market, but that they weren't seeing it. So Kult Creations came into being as a way of showing comics fans what I was now up to.

Obviously things like Cross and my Armageddon Patrol title might have more legs to go forward into new areas (bigger publishers, media deals and so forth) and I realised Kult Creations would be a handy way of putting those things back in front of the publics eyes.

So Kult Creations isn't designed to be a big publishing house itself, but a stepping stone to more interest.

Kult Creations (and I) are currently working on a few new projects like The Clock Strikes! - which is a revival of the first masked hero in comic books 'The Clock' who is now in the public domain. The Clock Strikes! will be out late this year (or early next year) written by myself and drawn by Vincent Danks (of Harker comic fame.)

David: Good luck with those ventures, John.

• The Sixpenny Murder is also available online through http://kultcreations.blogspot.com

In Review: Harker 11

The Plot: Another body has been discovered, but the killer has been careless. DCI Harker makes his move, determined to expose the murderer and take him in. But never mind all that! The Goths are three goals down and only Critchley can save the day! Goal!!!

The Review: It's no small achievement for a small, independent comic publisher - especially a small, independent British comic publisher - to maintain a monthly schedule on a US-style comic book. That Ariel Press, headed by Roger Gibson and Vince Danks, have succeeded in doing this for some time now with detective tale Harker is a testament to their dedicated professionalism.

That Harker continues to entertain, at present with a murder mystery set in a hotel in Whitby, and DCI Harker's gruff, grumbling character still continues to entertain as he tracks down the offender at a football match is however, the larger of the achievements of his creators. This is a comic book crying out for more attention; for an Eagle Award; and for the obligatory TV series pick up.

Revealing the murderer in a detective series often descends into Agatha Christie parlour room revelation - a device no doubt born of the stage than the demands of a novel or other medium, like comics - and can be quite boring in delivery. Gibson avoids the trap by setting most of this issue at a football match, where his deputy, Critchley, is seconded to play for The Goths as they battle the local newspaper for victory. 

As Harker confronts the murderer, Critchley gets to be Roy Race and enjoys every minute - and artist Vince Danks again shows off his prestigious skills as the tale unfolds.

Harker is a joyous independent title and fully deserves support. Roger and Vince have been plugging away with various comic titles at Ariel Press for years, promoting them at every comic show they can afford to get to - but Harker is by far their most accomplished series to date. Recommended...

Publication Date : February 2010
Format : Standard comic book size. 24 pages, full colour cover/BW interior
Price : £1.95 (including postage and packing)
$2.99/€2.30
Download Price : £1.00
$1.50/€1.00
• Take me to the store so I can buy it!

New Harker Debuts

You'll all be pleased to hear that Issue 9 of the fab indie detective series title Harker, from Ariel Press is out now. It's available from all the usual comic shops (listed here on the offcial blog) and it's also available directly from the Ariel Press shop here.

This issue follows on from the murder of an unpleasant crime author at a Whitby hotel police detective Harker was staying in. Something smells fishy when a second corpse is washed in on the tide, and Harker is back on the case.

Can he find out how the murderer got away with it? And what dangers lay in the foggy mire? Don't stray off the path!

The team of writer Roger Gibson and artist Vincent Danks continue to maintain high standards with the issue, and stick to their demanding release schedule for the book, which is helping keep the book in the comic public eye. The next issue due out on 14th December, or slightly before!

Harker #6 Debuts, Collected Edition Delayed

Harker #6 from indie creators Roger Gibson and Vincent Danks has just been released and available from the comic's online store now.

The issue includes the news that the first collected edition of this intriguing fantasy detective series was supposed to have been solicited in the August edition of Diamond Previews, available from all good comic shops - but it's mysteriously disappeared! "We've found out to our dismay that it's not there, but it's not our fault!" says Roger.

"We're not sure what's happened, but we've already emailed Diamond and asked them to solicit the collection in the next possible Previews.

"In the light of this, we have decided to abandon our idea of September being a 'gap month', he adds. "This is good news for everyone, as it means that issue seven will now be out next month (on the 1st September) with the start of our new six issue storyline, with the current working title of 'Murder By the Book', set in Whitby. It'll continue monthly, as ever!"

As we previously reported, Harker is now available in 15 comic shops across the UK, with more about to jump on board. More info here on the Harker and Critchley blog

Harker: Grumpy Cop on the Loose

One thing I missed about not getting to this year's Bristol Comic Expo was the chance to catch up with writer Roger Gibson and artist Vincent Danks, the team from York-based Ariel Press, who always have a gem of a title on offer at the event.

This year was no exception: the publishers of Sapphire and Raven recently launched monthly title Harker, now at Issue 4, all issues available from their web site (www.arielpress.com)

Launched in March, Harker is a gritty new British police comic from Ariel Press, written by Roger (Gravestown, The Bishop, Mad Girl) with art by Vince (Sapphire, Doctor Who).
Detective Chief Inspector Harker and Detective Sergeant Critchley are an eccentric pair of cops specialising in serial murder cases: the comic mixes up the best of British police dramas (Inspector Frost, Morse and others) with classic US dramas (Columbo, for example), the Harker series brings you monthly thrills and action, with superb art and witty, incisive scripts.

Book One: The Key of Solomon, beautifully renedered in a realistic style Vince has mastered over many years of hard work and fine tuning of his skills, features Harker and Critchley on the trail of ritualistic satanic murders - a complex web of lies, deceit and ghoulish horror, taking place in a Secret London of catacombs, blood soaked churches and Satanic Lodges.

The characters are great and every inch the British copper: Detective Chief Inspector Harker is in his late fifties, a copper set in his ways: old fashioned and irritable, eccentric and grumpy, socially inept, a loner, very much an outsider in today’s modern police force. But he’s still a superb detective, accustomed to cutting away the red herrings and getting right to the heart of a case.

Detective Sergeant Critchley is Harker’s faithful partner, a 21st Century copper, tooled up with all the latest gizmos and a hit with the birds - and very much the yin to Harker’s yang.

Ariel Press was originally created in the early 1990s by Vince, who I first met, and commissioned, back when I was editing Doctor Who Magazine. He set up the company specifically to publish his espionage thriller Sapphire. Roger Gibson soon joined in the fun, Vince publishing the Gravestown comic that he put together with Mark Wayne Barrett.

After this initial flurry failed to set the world alight, Vince and Roger returned under the Ariel Press banner with their Raven anthology, containing Vince's continuation of Sapphire, (still available in three collected editions) along with Roger and Mark's Dan Druff, and Roger's The Bishop, Mad Girl and Griffin.

All six issues of the first series Harker will be available to buy from the Ariel Press shop or to download as high resolution PDFs directly from the site's download section. They’ll be released monthly, with issue one, two and three already available to buy, and subsequent issues available on the first of every month.

Making full use of the web as a promotional tool, the Ariel Press team also offer free weekly downloads, podcasts, videos, sketches and more for fans of the series.

• Order Harker direct from: www.arielpress.com